Number 9 Dream
| # Dream | |
|---|---|
| John Lennon | |
| publication | December 16, 1974 ( US ) , January 24, 1975 ( UK ) |
| length | 4 min 48 s |
| Genre (s) | Psychedelic rock , pop |
| Author (s) | John Lennon |
| album | Walls and Bridges |
# 9 Dream ( English Dream Number 9 ) is one of John Lennon written song for the first time in October 1974, his fifth solo album Walls and Bridges was released. In December 1974 it was released as a single, the second and final release from the album after Whatever Gets You thru the Night .
history
In her autobiography Beloved John , Lennon's then-partner May Pang claims that he completed the piece as the last track on his album. Lennon had recently produced the album Pussy Cats for Harry Nilsson . Among other things, he wrote a string arrangement for Nilsson's cover version of the Jimmy Cliff composition Many Rivers to Cross . The melody of # 9 Dream is based on this string arrangement . According to Pang, Lennon initially only had the three words “So long ago” and a small demo from the early summer of 1974. Lennon got the idea for the chorus of the song through a dream in which the nonsense words “Ah bowakawa pousse” all the time pousse ”. A few days later, Lennon had completed the text and melody. The background voice calling “John” in several places comes from May Pang. According to Pang, the song had the working titles So Long Ago and Walls & Bridges before it finally got its name. This relates on the one hand to the content ("Dream") and on the other hand to the number 9, which Lennon was particularly fascinated by.
occupation
The following musicians contributed to the original recording:
- John Lennon: vocals , acoustic guitar
- Nicky Hopkins : Electronic piano
- Jesse Ed Davis: electric guitar
- Eddie Mottau: acoustic guitar
- Kenneth Ascher : Clavinet
- Klaus Voormann : electric bass
- Arthur Jenkins: Percussion
- Jim Keltner : drums
- Bobby Keys : saxophone
- May Pang, Lori Burton, Joey Dambra: backing vocals
Chart placements
Despite a relatively good ranking, # 9 Dream did not match the success of the previous single. In the German-speaking area it could not establish itself in the charts.
| Charts | Top ranking | Weeks |
|---|---|---|
| Chart placements | ||
 United Kingdom (OCC)
|
23 (8 weeks) | 8th |
 United States (Billboard)
|
9 (12 weeks) | 12 |
Music video
In addition to the pure music release, a promo video for # 9 Dream was also created. In addition to short, heavily slowed-down scenes, it also shows excerpts from the experimental film Imagine from 1971. It is noticeable that the former does not show May Pang, but Yoko Ono alongside Lennon. The reason for this is that at the time of shooting he had already broken up with Pang and had a relationship with Yoko Ono again.
Aftermath
# 9 Dream is one of the more popular Lennon songs. In the original version, it is included on almost every best-of compilation about him.
The song has been resumed several times by other musicians. The American rock band REM released a cover version for the compilation album Make Some Noise - The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur in 2007 . The alternative version of the album, which was released outside the US, also includes a version by the group a-ha . Andrea Corr released her version of the piece in 2011 on her second solo album Lifelines .
The British writer David Mitchell alluded to Lennon with the name of his second book number9dream , published in 2001 .
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ release date US
- ↑ release date UK
- ↑ May Pang and Henry Edwards: Beloved John . Munich: Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, 1984. P. 269 f.
- ↑ a b FAQ from May Pang on her website ( memento of the original from January 16, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (English) Retrieved June 10, 2012.
- ↑ a b # 9 Dream on thebeatlesrarity.com ( Memento of the original from May 30, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (English) Retrieved June 10, 2012.
- ↑ # 9 Dream on beatlesbible.com (English) Retrieved June 9, 2012.
- ↑ a b Chart sources: UK US
- ↑ # 9 Dream by REM on discogs.com (English). Retrieved August 26, 2012.
